Greg Hinz On Politics

At last, Illinois has the crisis it's needed

After a year and a half of flapping their gums at each other, the leaders of the Land of Lincoln finally have brought about a genuine crisis. It's unintentional, but I'll take what I can get out of Springfield nowadays.

I don't mean to minimize the travails that social services agencies have suffered since the state went without a budget for all of the now-about-to-end fiscal 2016. Nor do I want to minimize the long-term impact that putting billions of dollars more on our collective plastic will have on the state's credit rating and economy.

But none of that will spark nearly a smidgen of the public outrage that failing to open schools next fall will. And with majority Democrats divided among themselves while simultaneously battling Gov. Bruce Rauner, here's where we are: nearing a statewide panic attack.

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So do we have a leader, anywhere, capable of using that crisis to get something done?

Admittedly with some help, Emanuel has overcome a lot of adversity and enacted long-term plans to stabilize finances of three of the city's four pension funds. The latest came when, despite their other woes, lawmakers overrode Rauner's silly veto of a bill to give the city more time to fully fund its police and fire pensions.

I say silly because, while Rauner kept yapping about how the city was just kicking the can down the road, Emanuel is the one who in December pushed through the largest property tax hike in Chicago history to pay City Hall's share of the money owed. If that's can-kicking, Rauner can pay my property tax bill. And Emanuel's budget will be even better off if Springfield ever OKs the casino he wants.

But Emanuel isn't a state official. What about them?

Senate President John Cullerton probably is best-positioned to play hero. He's displayed a willingness to move toward compromise while still remembering who brought him to the party. His talk sometimes is better than his delivery—see his never-called “consideration” plan for state pensions—but there is a place for a low-key consensus man with his ego in check.

The two GOP leaders of the Legislature, Sen. Christine Radogno and Rep. Jim Durkin, aren't bad folks either, but they are heavily outnumbered by the Democrats. Their role ought to be to mediate and moderate with Rauner behind the scenes, constantly reminding him that the best way to balance the budget and turn around the state's economy is to actually get something done.

Then there are the two big dogs: Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Rauner is learning, and his proposed interim budget is a real move toward agreement if he indeed will hold off on his Turnaround Illinois agenda until the post-election debate over tax hikes. A little down payment on that coming tax hike would help, too. But he really, really needs to lock up his inner Donald Trump and throw away the key. Even though Madigan and Cullerton are pros, it's hard to do a deal with a guy who is constantly insulting you in public, calling you out as “corrupt,” etc.

Madigan, the longtime Springfield champ, is inevitably losing some of his edge.

To the speaker, I'd put this question: What do you want to be remembered for, other than just getting yourself re-elected speaker term after term? Even if you somehow outlast Rauner and rope-a-dope the remainder of his term—at what cost? Social service agencies are closing and schools may, too. Big portions of the state's economy are failing. Is that really the legacy to leave the grandkids?

Maybe I'm missing something here. The boys and girls are returning to Springfield shortly. Here's hoping that, at long last, they'll get down to doing the job and making the decisions we elected them to handle.